URCHIN Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Harris Dickinson
Stars: Frank Dillane, Megan Northam, Harris Dickinson, Shonagh Marie, Okezie Morro, Amr Waked.
Mike (Frank Dillane, from Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, etc) is homeless and for five years he has been sleeping rough on the streets of London. One day he assaults Simon, a man who shows him some kindness and offers some help; he even steals Simon’s watch, which he pawns. After he serves his seven months in prison he gets a second chance to turn his life around, with the help of social services. They set him up in temporary accommodation at a local hostel and get him a job as a commis chef in a hotel restaurant. He listens to motivational self-help tapes. When his job at the hotel falls through he ends up picking up litter on the streets. Even a fleeting chance of happiness with a fledgling romance with Andrea (Megan Northam, from Meanwhile On Earth, etc) is doomed by his own self-destructive instincts. Mike’s penchant for self-destructive behaviour eventually lures him back into some bad choices and a downward spiral into alcoholism and drugs.
Actor Harris Dickinson (best known for his role in 2022’s The Triangle Of Sadness, and the erotic Nicole Kidman drama Babygirl, etc) makes his directorial debut here and it is certainly an impressive debut. This is a raw, insightful and deeply personal film for Dickinson who has worked with a number of homeless charities. He drew inspiration for Mike’s character from a number of those people he encountered working with those charities. The film is a character study, but Dickinson also delivers some trenchant and topical social criticism as he explores themes of the vicious cycle of homelessness, the broken social services system, depression, poverty, addiction, mental health, survival and resilience.
Urchin is a gritty slice of real-life drama grounded in that milieu that used to be the preserve of filmmakers like Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, Andrea Arnold and Lyne Ramsay. The film was shot on location in London by French-Canadian cinematographer Josee Deshaies (Saint Laurent, etc), who gives the material an authentic look and feel. Urchin is driven by an electronic score from Alan Mayson.
However, there are a couple of surreal shot choices – including one sequence that takes us inside a drain and some nightmarish sequences inside a cave that hint at a darker traumatic event from his past – that may feel a bit beguiling for many in the audience. But the material is leavened with some touches of humour and even lighter moments such as when Mike enjoys a night of karaoke with a couple of his colleagues from the restaurant.
Dickinson draws strong performances from his, largely unknown, cast that reek of naturalism. Dillane is on-screen for the whole 99 minutes, and his performance is superb. He gives Mike a world-weary, lived-in persona that seems authentic. While charming and charismatic, he also captures his vulnerability and self-destructive nature. Dickinson himself contributes a small cameo as Nathan, a fellow vagrant who clashes with Mike and steals his money. A solid supporting cast also bring authenticity to their roles.
Urchin marks an assured directorial debut for Dickinson and it tackles some difficult subject matter with a gritty realism. Let’s see how Dickinson chooses to follow this one up.
★★★
